3 shocking but possible Raiders cuts at roster deadline

3 shocking but possible Raiders cuts at roster deadline

The Oakland Raiders will play their final preseason game in just a few hours. Once the game is completed, they will spend the next day and a half preparing to cut down their roster from 90 to 53 players. By Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, the Raiders will need to release 37 players.

Most of the time, these cuts are obvious. But every year, there are one or two players that are released or trade that shock the fanbase. The team may have already had their biggest shock by releasing second-year safety Obi Melifonwu, who eventually reverted to the team’s injured reserve list after clearing waivers.

Here is a list of three shocking, but possible roster cuts for the Raiders before the Saturday deadline.

TE Jared Cook

Jared Cook has done nothing wrong this offseason. He’s looked like the same player that we saw at this time last season. But with the Raiders being up against the cap and team potentially needing to free up some space, the Raiders could decide to move on from Cook.

According to OverTheCap.com, the Raiders could release Cook and save nearly $6 million while not taking on any dead money. This would certainly leave a hole at tight end, but it would clear a significant amount of money for the Raiders.

If Oakland feels comfortable enough with their young tight ends or if they grab a tight end off the waiver wire, don’t be surprised if they consider moving on from Cook. Cook is still an adequate starter in the NFL, but this may be one of the sacrifices the team needs to make if they want to sign star defensive end Khalil Mack.

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